• Ukraine's delegation is headed to the U.S. for critical peace talks after a leadership change.
• Rustem Umerov replaces Andriy Yermak as lead negotiator following Yermak's resignation.
• Discussions aim to finalize a peace plan previously reviewed in Geneva.
• Ukraine is under pressure to agree to U.S. terms amid ongoing military challenges.
• U.S. support is crucial to ending the war, as Ukraine faces continuous Russian offensives.

Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced that a high-level delegation, now led by Rustem Umerov, is on its way to the United States to engage in crucial peace talks regarding the ongoing conflict with Russia. This delegation has taken shape following the resignation of Andriy Yermak, Zelenskyy's previous chief of staff, after a corruption scandal led to an investigation involving his apartment. The goal of the talks is to build upon recent discussions held in Geneva that aimed to refine a peace plan acceptable to all parties involved, according to abcnews, channelnewsasia, and reuters.

Zelenskyy's expectation is that the outcomes from the Geneva meetings will be "hammered out" during discussions in the U.S., as he emphasized the need for "swiftly and substantively" developing steps to end the war. The change in delegation leadership represents a significant shift as Umerov's team aims to develop a counter-offer to ideas previously presented by U.S. officials, particularly U.S. Secretary of the Army Dan Driscoll. This need for a strategic response comes amid reports of increasing pressure from Washington on Ukraine to finalize a peace agreement, as per information from abcnews, channelnewsasia, and reuters.

In light of the military situation, Ukraine continues to face significant challenges, including Russian advances and ongoing bombardments leading to power outages in Ukrainian cities. Zelenskyy described this time as one of the most challenging periods in Ukraine's history, insisting he would not betray the country despite being under pressure. His comments reflect a commitment to seeking a dignified peace while calling for increased international support to mitigate Russia’s military efforts, as highlighted by abcnews and reuters.